Author: Susan Yeager | Majors: Accounting, Spanish
My name is Susan Yeager, and I majored in accounting with an additional Spanish major in the Sam M. Walton College of Business. I tried multiple times to do a semester abroad, but the pandemic delayed my plans. However, I was finally able to study abroad in Madrid, Spain in the spring semester of my senior year to complete my Spanish major requirements. I studied at Nebrija University in the center of Madrid because of the Hispanic Studies program that was offered. This program was perfect to take solely Spanish classes while abroad. The program also offered a language prep course that helped me to become reacquainted with my Spanish skills and helped to lighten my class load during the official semester. The class structure was a little less formal than I was used to, but it worked well to be able to focus more on experiencing the Spanish culture.
My favorite part of the semester was the January language prep course. This month of intense Spanish-learning was perfect to kick-start my Spanish-speaking skills. Although I usually thrived in the grammar part of my Spanish classes, I have always struggled with speaking the language and doing it confidently. The more informal manner of the prep course was perfect to pull me out of my shell and make me practice without hesitation. I also appreciated how much speaking was emphasized in these classes. One of my classes with a focus on the written Spanish language, called “lengua escrita” – literally translating to written language –, started every day with each student telling the class something new they had done since last class. Even a grammar class such as this one offered great experience to practice speaking Spanish in a judgement-free environment.
During my first week in Madrid, I met up with a Spanish family friend. We went to get take-out dinner and when my friend ordered the food, I remembered thinking “oh my gosh, I did not understand a word of that. I will never be able to do that.” Fast forward five months, and I can now easily order food from a Spanish establishment. My Spanish vocabulary grew significantly, especially the gastronomy terms. In just five short months, I went from barely being able to understand to being able to have full-fledged conversations. I also became the designated translator for my group of friends when we went to restaurants because of my eagerness to practice.
Along the way, I experienced some culture shock. One of those moments was when I first heard the Castilian accent and struggled to understand a single word. The accents and vocabulary were different than the Latin American Spanish I was used to learning, so it took some adjustment before I was able to fully understand. A part of the Spanish lifestyle that I never quite got accustomed to was the late eating schedule. Lunch generally started around 1:30 pm, while dinner started around 8:30 but lasted much later. However, I will greatly miss the Spanish paella, the patatas bravas, and a glass of tinto de verano. One of my favorite parts of Madrid was the metro. I was shocked by how easy it was to use and by its cleanliness. I loved the cheap, easy public transportation, and I will greatly miss it when I return to the United States.
On some weekends, I would travel to different European countries. This was probably the most eye-opening experience because I was put in situations where I didn’t know the language. I was forced to realize how big and diverse the world is. When I’m in Northwest Arkansas, I am stuck in the bubble of things I am comfortable with and people who speak my same language. But the world is so much bigger than I sometimes remember. I never even thought about the language barrier until I was standing in a train station trying to ask for directions and was unable to communicate with those around me. Learning a new language is so important, and I was reminded that European citizens usually speak two or more languages fluently. I was able to ask, “do you speak English” as well as “hablas español,” and I felt so powerful having two languages at my disposal. I was also pleasantly surprised by how learning the Spanish language opened up doors to many other languages, including French, Catalan, Italian, etc. This experience enhanced my problem-solving skills the most and my ability to use context to find answers.
One of the coolest parts about studying abroad in Spain was the ability to live in such close proximity to so many other languages and cultures. I was able to travel around Europe and be exposed to a variety of people. The Hispanic Studies program was made up of people from all over the world. I also lived in the international dorm and became close with students from all over. My closest friends were from Chile, Colombia, Denmark, England, Japan, Spain, and the United States. Although I enjoyed my time so much, I was very sad to say good-bye to everyone knowing we would end up so far apart. However, I have plans to visit friends all over the world in the future.